Dwydell Garrett. Img source: wdet.org
After a prolonged legal battle stemming from a class action lawsuit filed in 1968, Hamtramck has finally closed the chapter on the displacement of a Black neighborhood to make room for the construction of the I-75 freeway. The lawsuit was settled last month, bringing an end to a decades-long struggle for justice.
Approximately 100 families were uprooted from their homes to make way for the highway, prompting the filing of the lawsuit. The settlement agreement mandated the construction and allocation of 200 new homes to the affected families. However, due to financial constraints faced by Hamtramck, the construction of these homes was significantly delayed.
This year marks the completion of the last of these homes, a staggering 56 years after the initial lawsuit was filed. Many of the original residents have since passed away, unable to witness the resolution of the settlement. As a result, the newly built homes were allocated to the descendants of these families.
Dwydell Garrett, now 59 years old, was among those impacted by the displacement. He was only 4 years old when his family was informed of the need to relocate. In 1999, an attorney involved in the class action lawsuit reached out to Garrett, seeking his mother Sarah Sims Garrett. Despite Sarah’s passing, the attorney ensured that the lawsuit would continue, ultimately leading to the allocation of a new home for Garrett in 2001. Source: Wdet
In honor of his mother’s legacy, the city of Hamtramck has dedicated a park near the freeway. A celebration commemorating this milestone is scheduled for May 19.
